Attachment for mouth-harmonicas.



N0. 703,752. Patented July I, I902.

A. S. ALEXANDER &. A. \HSCHER.

ATTACHMENT FOR MOUTH HARMDNICAS.

(Application filed Jan. 18, 1902.)

WITNESSES EYS UNITED Smarties ARTHUR S. ALEXANDER AND ALFR.ED-\ ISCI'IER, OF NElV YORK, N.

ATTACHMENT WiQUTH-HARMONiCAS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 703,752, dated July 1, 1902. Application filed January 18,1902. Serial No. 90,305. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, ARTHUR S. ALEXAN DER and ALFRED VISGHER, citizens of the United States, and residents of the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Attachment for Month- Harmonicas, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved attachment for monthharmonicas which is simple and durable in construction, arranged for convenient and quick attachment to or detachment from a mouth-harmonica, and more especially designed to greatly reinforce the strength of the tone and to give it a brassinstrument quality.

The invention consists of novel features and parts and combinations of the same, which will be more fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the improve ment in position on the mouth-harmonica. Fig. 2 is a rear sectional elevation of the same on the line 2 2 of Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is an i11- verted sectional plan View of the same on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1, and Fig. A is a transverse section of the same on the line A 4 of 8.

The attachment consists, essentially, of a bell or horn A, closed at one end and having in its side an elongated opening B for receiving the mouth-harmonica 0, provided on the rear portions of its cover with longitudinallyextending ribs D, adapted to abut against the inside of the bell or horn A when inserting the mouth-harmonica G from the inside of the horn into the opening 13. Thus the ribs D limit the outward movement of the mouth-harmonica C When in position on the horn or bell, and in order to firmly lock the mouth-harmonica in position We engage one end thereof with a fixed bracket E and the other end is engaged by a bolt F mounted to slide in a suitable guideway G, arranged on the inside of the bell or horn, as plainly indicated in Fig. 3.

The bracket E is located at or near the closed end of the bell or horn-A, and the bolt F and its bearing G are arranged near the outer open end of the said bell or horn, and the bolt is provided with a handle F, adapted to be taken hold of by the operator to push the bolt into a closed position, as shown in Fig. 3, or to allow of withdrawing the bolt from the mouth-harmonica when it is desired to remove the harmonica from the bell or horn A.

It is understood that by the arrangement described the tone discharge end of the mouth-harmonica 0 extends adistanoe within the bell or horn A, as plainly indicated in Figs. 3 and A, and at the same time the mouthharinonica fits snugly onto the walls of the opening B, so that the sounds which emanate from the mouth-harmonica when the latter is played pass directly'into the hell or horn and finally through the open end thereof to the outside in a greatly reinforced state and of a quality corresponding to that of a brass instrument.

As the mouth-harmonica can be readily detached from the bell or horn A, it is evident that the said harmonica can be played without the bell or horn attachment, it being understocd that the mouth-harmonicain its general construction is that of an ordinary mouth harmonica, and the ribs D, which serve as a stop when in the bell, also serve to strengthen the cover, so as to prevent pressing in thereof when the mouth-harmonica is used Without the hell or horn.

The sides of the cover of the mouth-harmonica are tapering, as plainly shown in Fig. i, so that the harmonica can be readily inserted into the opening 13 from the inside of the bell. By having the cover tapering, as described, the entrance end is reduced in thickness to a minimum, so that the player is not required to open his mouth unduly wide.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A mouth-harmonica attachment, comprising a bell having in its side an opening extending lengthwise of the side, and terminating a distance from each end of the bell, the opening being arranged to receive the mouth-harmonica from Within the bell, and fastening devices within the bell for holding the month-harmonica in position, as set forth.

2. The combination With a month-harmonica, of an attachment comprising a bell having in its side an opening into which the said month-harmonica is inserted from Within the bell, and fastening devices in the bell for holding the month harmonica in position thereon, the discharge edge of the harmonica extending a distance Within the bell, as set forth.

3. A IIIOHlJh'hZil'LHOIllOZt attachment, comprising a bell having in its side an opening for the reception of the 1nouth-harinonica, and fastening devices in the bell for holding the month-harmonica in position, one of the said fastening devices being fixed at the closed end of the bell and the other fastening device being movable at the month of the bell, as set forth.

i. The combination with a month-harmonica having longitudinal ribs on its cover, of a bell having in its side an opening for the insertion of the month-harmonica, the said ribs abutting against the Wall of the bell at the inside thereof, and fastening devices for holding the month-harmonica in position on the bell, as set forth.

5. The combination With a month-l1arn1onica having tapering sides, of a bell provided in its side with an opening having a Width somewhat less than the width of the monthharmonica at the discharge edge thereof for the side Walls of the opening to limit the out- Ward movement of the month-harmonica on inserting the latter into the said opening from the inside of the bell, the said discharge edge extending a distance Within the bell, and fastening devices for holding the month-harmonica in position on the bell, as set forth.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ARTHUR S. ALEXANDER. ALFRED VISGHER.

lVitnesses:

Tnno. G. Ilos'rEn, PH'ERARD BOLTON MAnsnALL. 

